total forgiveness now
"If you bring your gift to the altar and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift at the altar, go first to be reconciled." —Matthew 5:23-24
Does anyone in the world have anything against you? Do you have anything against them? If you haven't recently tried to reconcile with these people, stop reading this now and go do it...
If you haven't forgiven, but are still reading, drop everything and "go first to be reconciled." "Lose no time" (Mt 5:25). "The sun must not go down on your wrath; do not give the devil a chance to work on you" (Eph 4:26-27). The grace to forgive your worst enemies is available to you right now. Decide to accept this grace, or you will be handed over to the torturers (Mt 18:34). Until you forgive, you won't even be able to pray, for Jesus taught us to pray: "Forgive us the wrong we have done as we forgive those who wrong us" (Mt 6:12).
Right now, you can accept God's grace to forgive all those who have hurt you in any way throughout your entire life. In fact, you must forgive or be destroyed by the poison of unforgiveness. "We implore you, in Christ's name: be reconciled to God" (2 Cor 5:20), be reconciled with all—now.
Prayer: Father, "to err is human, to forgive is divine." I decide to accept Your grace to forgive all—now.
Promise: "You have visited the land and watered it; greatly have You enriched it." —Ps 65:10
Praise: Michael responded to the death of his father by making a commitment to attend Mass every day.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape Forgiveness on audio AV 54-1 or video V-54.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 4, 2008
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